Mary

Mary Cherotich Chemwor is a 41-year-old administrator from Uasin Gishu.

Mary

In 2014, Mary had irregular bleeding and post-coital bleeding to the extent she could not track her period. She talked to a nurse-friend who advised her to see a gynecologist. The doctor ordered an ultrasound and a pap smear. The ultrasound showed no abnormality but she came to the dysplasia unit where screening was done and booked for biopsy. After doing the biopsy she returned in two weeks to pick her result which showed malignancy and was clinically staged at 1B2.

The doctor attending to her advised her on the treatment options of chemo radiation or surgery. She would have to go to Nairobi or Uganda for the chemo radiation since it was not available at the facility. She opted for surgery which was done in August, 2014, at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH).

When she received the diagnosis she felt she was going to die. Despite being advised to take herbal medication she chooses to undergo surgery because she liked the way everyone at the hospital was concerned about her well-being. She said she got good care at MTRH.

Mary is a very social person and she would tell anyone who cared to listen what she was going through. On diagnosis, some her friends and relatives kept off from her in fear of the financial burden. Her husband left when she was diagnosed with cancer of the cervix. She was also stigmatized that since she had cervical cancer then she must also be HIV positive. Some friends told her to figure out how she got infected with the HPV virus. She had to learn to filter information and stick to positive support; this cost her some relatives and friends.

Cervical cancer screening is painless and compared to back then the personnel and equipment is advanced. Women should not be afraid to speak out on the problems they are facing. If it is a problem of the reproductive parts let them allow a professional to have a look. Screening helps get the disease when it’s in early stages. During the early stages it is easier and less costly to treat.

It is as if this disease has ears. Once you know you have it, time is of the essence. Don’t waste it. Get treated as soon as possible to avoid spread of the disease. Be selfish because you are the centerpiece of your world--if you break then everything else breaks. Think about yourself. Fight the disease for your family and friends. The mind is the most powerful part of you--during every step be selective with what you feed it.

Special thanks to Hellen for helping us tell Mary’s story.